Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

DAVE CHIDLEY/AP/Press Association Images

BlackBerry aims to placate angry customers after disruptions

The company’s customers will be offered free app downloads after outages left millions without services last week.

THE MAKERS OF BlackBerry smartphones have launched a bid to rebuild customer relations after days of service outages tried the patience of users on four continents.

Research In Motion announced today that it will offer all BlackBerry subscribers free app downloads “as an expression of appreciation for their patience”. The company has come under fire from aggrieved customers after network problems left millions of users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and South America unable to use messaging services or access the internet for several days last week.

Customers took to Twitter in droves to express their frustration, with tweets including: “What did one BlackBerry user say to the other BlackBerry user? Nothing.”

One newspaper survey found that close to 20 per cent of users were considering switching to another brand of phone after the disruption.

Speaking today, RIM CEO Mike Laziridis said: “We are grateful to our loyal BlackBerry customers for their patience. We have apologised to our customers and we will work tirelessly to restore their confidence. We are taking immediate and aggressive steps to help prevent something like this from happening again.”

The free apps, which will be available for four weeks from Wednesday, including popular game SIMS 3 and music recognition app Shazam Encore.

“Our global network supports the communications needs of more than 70 million customers,” Lazaridis continued. “We truly appreciate and value our relationship with our customers. We’ve worked hard to earn their trust over the past 12 years, and we’re committed to providing the high standard of reliability they expect, today and in the future.”

Read more: BlackBerry says ‘significant improvement’ in service>

Read more: BlackBerry users consider switching brands>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
7 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Judge_n_Jury
    Favourite Judge_n_Jury
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 4:45 PM

    Unattractive students creating a stronger right arm. Reminds me of my uni days.

    101
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Valentine
    Favourite Joe Valentine
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 5:13 PM

    Students will be literally pulling the stomach off themselves!

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aunty Simmonite
    Favourite Aunty Simmonite
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 4:38 PM

    Is it any use for splitting logs?

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leo Latorre
    Favourite Leo Latorre
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 6:28 PM

    Purchased by the US Army in 3… 2… 1…

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pa Jama
    Favourite Pa Jama
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 5:57 PM

    I love living in the future!

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Godfrey
    Favourite Tom Godfrey
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 4:39 PM

    Robot chicken

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute i want to be frank !
    Favourite i want to be frank !
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 7:15 PM

    It Might make the arm stronger to a degree but trying to lift or pull something extremely heavy would rip the hand from the arm .

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Brady
    Favourite Kevin Brady
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 5:59 PM

    twould be great for masturbating so it twould. or in a scrap….”come here u ill bate ye”smack!!! then lift him up a throw him like ur super man. im getting one of santa claus

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Oisín Tarrant
    Favourite Oisín Tarrant
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 5:04 PM

    Dunno if I wanna put my arm into a robotic vice that costs 1/50th of what it normally does.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry Bird
    Favourite Larry Bird
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 9:58 PM

    Granpa’s cough medicine?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute alanobrien
    Favourite alanobrien
    Report
    Dec 10th 2013, 8:39 PM

    Go way

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds